I don’t know what it is about rice pudding, it’s not something I grew up eating, but I think it is the ultimate comfort food. I like it thick and creamy, studded with plumped raisins, and hot off the stove. And with the cool dampness settling in for the winter, combined with an enduring lack of sleep, I have been deeply craving comfort food. (That, and steaming hot bubble baths.)
My mother-in-law recently arrived with a suitcase full of all my favourite spices from India – the freshest cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorns, and cloves – so I’ve been using them in everything I can.
I tossed a cinnamon stick into my go-to rice pudding recipe along with a vanilla bean and a handful of raisins.
I stood at the stove stirring and tasting the warm pudding and deeply inhaling the sweet steam. It was like a much-needed warm hug. Now if only there was a pudding that feels like a nap.
The rice I used was Thai sticky (glutinous) rice – I had it on hand and wanted to find out if it would be a good substitute or arborio. It was great on the first day, but got too sticky overnight. Stick with arborio.
Feel free to substitute the vanilla bean for extract (just stir in a teaspoon at the very end) and/or the cinnamon stick for ground cinnamon (just swap in a teaspoonful at the same point in the recipe).
And I would totally support your decision to add an ounce of rum with the cream.
Cinnamon Raisin Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 4 cups 2% or whole milk
- ½ cup arborio rice
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 cinnamon stick broken
- 1 vanilla bean scraped
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring milk to a boil with rice, raisins, sugar, butter, vanilla bean seeds, cinnamon stick and salt. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 hour, until rice is very tender.
- Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl. Slowly add 1/2 cup of hot pudding to yolks, whisking constantly, to temper the eggs. Slowly whisk egg mixture into remaining pudding in saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, 3-5 minutes, until pudding thickens. Remove from heat; stir in cream. Transfer to a shallow dish and chill 4 hours, up to overnight, pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface to avoid a pudding "skin".
I love love love poached eggs. How would I do 3 at a time? Blush!
Does it need to be white vinegar? I only have malt 🙁 I’m going to try it anyway haha
Any acid will do 🙂
Any acid will do 🙂
It is not necessary to use vinegar when making poached eggs. The vinegar `hardens` the outside of egg white when they come in contact with each other. A large pan, as suggested for making poached eggs on the stove top is not needed. Use a frying pan instead. To make poached eggs on the stove top, use really fresh eggs. Have the water on hard simmer, crack an egg into a slotted spoon and allow any runny white to drop through. Then, gently lower the egg into the simmering water and cook to required doneness. Simple, no muss, no fuss, no FEAR of anything going wrong.
`nuf sed. Plamuk aka travellingchef
What wattage is your microwave? I have a ridiculously weak microwave and the instructions resulted in an overdone egg. Will try again with shorter cooking time.
I’m not sure, but it’s new, and seems pretty powerful! Every microwave is different, though. I’m sorry it didn’t work for you – play with the time a bit and I’m sure it will.
I aint no cook, but that was awesome. I truly surpassed myself!!
Haha glad you enjoyed 🙂
This recipe is fantastic. Now to atone to the chicken gods for all the rubbery abominations I’ve microwaved in the past…
Pro tip: if you prick the yolk with a toothpick you reduce the chance of explosion by 63%.
No need to fuss with the plastic wrap. Just cover with a dessert sized paper plate.
Turned out great!!
YOU ARE AMAZING! i absolutely adore poached eggs but i don’t even know how to make them the “old fashioned” way so i can only get them when i go out to restaurants! for breakfast this morning i had poached eggs and toast and a cup of tea and it was the perfect way to start my day! you are a genius, i never would’ve thought to add the vinegar…oh by the way, did i mention that i was able to have this fabulous breakfast out of my on-campus college apartment?? yum. 🙂
I am Thrilled with this AMAZING idea of yours! Thank you so much! I ran to my micro ~ followed your instructions exactly and I now have a beautiful, buttery poached egg sitting a top a perfectly toasted english muffin!